I need help on a homemade door-shutter.

We have a shed in the back that just got a second wind, but I'm trying to avoid 'hardware'. I'd love a 'swinging down' arm into a receptacle. I'll take a pic tomorrow of what we have to work with.
We're looking for something simple and made of wood.

farm, and we have latches like what I believe you are describing on many of the doors-
You might try looking at some of Eric Sloans books- he does beautiful pen and ink sketches of old fashoned things- My favorite latch leads to what used to be my Dads workshop- It has such a unique sound, when the bar of wood settles down into the notched peg. The bar is controlled on the other side by a string, which is where the saying "pulling in the latch string" comes from- at night, you could pull the string in, and there is no way to open the door from the outside-

Wish I could draw you a picture- I'll look and see if I can find anything on the Web-

there is no 'spring' or outside 'thumb latch' just a handle and string.

Also, where this shows a long shaped peice of wood to catch the 'bar'- ours have a wooden peg with the notch cut out in it.... kind of like a oversized 'penny whistle'??? if that makes any sense?

Still looking-



from Daniel Beards site-

LOTS of really good old fashoned info here-

http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/shelter/wire_kens.htm

thinking about exactly! We're basically tone-deaf when it comes to any kind of woodworking, so this will help!

very welcome... glad I could help, and it was fun searching, because I found some sites worth visiting!
Good luck with your latch!

blu